This invention relates generally to a preloaded electrical connector and, more particularly, to an electrical connector which has a pair of connector halves and detent means between one of the connector halves and a coupling ring which is freely rotatable thereto.
One form of a conventional electrical connector used today includes a plug and receptacle, each of which contains an insulative insert carrying one or more engageable contacts, whereby when the plug and receptacle are fully mated, the contacts are engaged to complete an electrical circuit therebetween. A bayonet-type connector coupling mechanism is frequently employed to positively retain the plug and receptacle of the connector in their fully mated positions. The bayonet coupling mechanism generally includes bayonets or pins projecting radially and associated with helical ramp tracks between the outer shell of one of the connector halves and the inside of a coupling ring. The ramp tracks have entrance portions at the forward or mating ends thereof into which the bayonets move into the tracks. Another form of conventional electrical connector used today includes a plug and receptacle, as described, and the plug and the receptacle are mated by a threaded connection between the receptacle and the coupling ring which is rotatably mounted on the plug.
While such arrangements are generally acceptable, it has been found that under extreme vibration, or after repeated connections and disconnections, the failure rate of the coupling mechanism tends to rise. The vibratory forces cause the pins of the bayonet-type connector to disengage from detent recess in the ramp tracks, whereupon the parts might seperate due to spring forces or, alternatively, frequent coupling and decoupling causes the pins to wear away the detent recess. With the threaded connectors, the threaded engagement may loosen or the threads themselves become worn due to vibration or repeated connections and disconnections. As the detent notches or the threaded connections wear away, vibration tends to become a more serious problem.
In order to solve these problems, many types of detent mechanisms have been provided to prevent accidental decoupling of the mated connector members, for instance under the aforsaid conditions of shock and vibration. Most such detent devices have been relatively complicated, have required a plurality of seperate components, and in most instances, the detent are disposed internally of the connector and thus require intricate assembly operations to mount the detent devices in place prior to final assembly of the connector. This invention relates, in part, to providing a new and improved detent mechanism which can be assembled and readily disassembled after the coupling ring is in proper assembled position on the connector plug.
One form of detent mechanism heretofore employed in connectors of the character described, has included a detent leaf spring which usually has a detent protrusion engageable within one or more detent recesses between the coupling ring and connector plug. One of the disadvantages of leaf springs for use in detent devices has been the limited resiliency afforded thereby. In addition, if the detent protrusion is formed integrally with the leaf spring, a concentrated stress point is created at the protrusion area resulting in a weak point which greatly increases the fail rate of the detent mechanism. This invention provides a new and improved leaf spring-type detent mechanism which has increased resiliency and decreased fail rate than heretofore provided.